Gretchen Whitmer Blames Climate Change for Flooding After Many Detroit Pumps Lacked Power

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) blamed climate change for flooding that occurred in Detroit last weekend, but dozens of pumping stations lacked power.

Whitmer addressed reporters from the middle of the closed interstate, which was submerged underwater nearby.

“These are hard days. Three weeks into my time as governor, we had the Polar Vortex,” a winter storm that plunged the region into a deep freeze.

“Then we had COVID, then we had a 500-year flooding event” in the Midland area after rain overwhelmed dams. “Now we have another big flooding event,” she complained.

“This is climate change,” Whitmer declared. “This is a moment and a need for us to help one another, but also to do the hard work of protecting ourselves going forward and that is doing everything we can to address climate change and building resilient infrastructure.”

The governor also said, “we’ve got to decrease our carbon footprint.”

But the Detroit News reported many of the problems stemmed from faulty pumping stations maintained by the city of Detroit:

At least 28 of Metro Detroit’s 140 freeway pump stations didn’t have power or had mechanical problems Saturday afternoon, resulting in closed freeways. Michigan State Police urged drivers and residents to not enter floodwaters, especially after some were seen swimming with pool toys.

The Michigan State Police issued a warning Sunday:

Finally in the things I would never thought I would have to say: Do not go into the water. This water has debris, sharp metal, submerged cars, gasoline and oil floating in it. There is also a good chance that there is sewage also in the water. In other words it’s gross! pic.twitter.com/R8cjIVrlpz

— MSP Metro Detroit (@mspmetrodet) June 27, 2021

“Do not go into the water,” the state police said.

“This water has debris, sharp metal, submerged cars, gasoline and oil floating in it. There is also a good chance that there is sewage also in the water. In other words it’s gross!”

Whitmer told reporters she has tried to talk to the Republican-led legislature about infrastructure, and she complained about trying to “get that conversation going,” too.

“I’d love it if our local legislature would work with me on a long-term state infrastructure plan as well,” she said.

Kyle Olson is a reporter for Breitbart News. He is also host of “The Kyle Olson Show,” syndicated on Michigan radio stations on Saturdays–download full podcast episodes. Follow him on Parler.